Personal Book Builder: The Inside Scoop

The most anticipated tool for Logos Bible Software has been Personal Books tool. Originally called Personal Book Builder (PBB), the tool was created for Libronix (Logos version 3) so that users could create their own books. It had a few shortcomings in that it created resources that were not exactly like their Logos produced counterparts. But that model has changed. Personal Books now have all the functionality of any other resource produced by Logos except it is produced by you.

What’s It For?

If you’ve ever wished there was a way to bring all of your seminary papers, excurses studies, position papers, even your graduating thesis on “Middle Eastern Soil Samples and Their Impact on the Imago Dei,” and whatever else you can imagine into Logos, so that you could search it, reference it, and use it along with all of the other thousands of resources Logos makes available; your answer is Personal Books.

Add the information like Title, Author, Copyright, and Description, then set the resource type, adjust the language, and even add a book graphic

Then click Add file and navigate to your original document

Once you’ve finished, click Build Book and Logos does the rest

From this point forward your book can be located in your Library, added to collections, searched, highlighted, and more, just like every other Logos resource. Congratulations you’ve been (self) published!

Is That It?

Logos’ Personal Books tool opens up an entire vista of possibilities. Personal Books can be just like Logos books with tagging, milestones, and more. As I write this, the finishing touches are being put on the Personal Books section of the Logos help file and will be available soon (if not already) to help guide you through the basics of what Personal Books can do. Already, the Logos user community has been building the Wiki page for Personal Books. Like every other aspect of Logos Bible Software, the user forums are often the best place to search for and find answers to your questions.

But Wait, There’s More!

Logos’ Personal Books tool is already growing and more is planned. One user has created a script to automatically create tags and hyperlinks between resources and another created a script to add page numbers! In the past, Logos 3 PBB required users to find ways to share their work. My own website hosts almost a thousand Logos 3 format PBB resources contributed by the community. Now however, Logos has plans to integrate directly with the Logos.com website so that your works can be made available around the globe if you want them to be.

Sweet! Where Do I Get It?

Logos’ Personal Books tool is the main component of Logos 4.3. By clicking the Help Button | About Logos Bible Software in your copy of Logos you’ll see what version of Logos you are currently using. If it’s not at least 4.3 you can simply wait for Logos to update itself or type the command “update now” in your command bar and let Logos Bible Software do the rest.

What are you most looking forward to adding to your Logos library or what excites you most about the Personal Books tool? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Wow, as an Ambassador Sales Rep of a few years ago, I can definatively state “this feature (PBB) is the answer to alot of clients questions” I anticipate many thousands of valuable shared works! Keep it up Logos! I am very close to moving to Bellingham to work for Logos!! Great company and great people!!